Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-04-27
A Life of Adventure.

OIClhIu I'VE LeILoT Lieut.. MauQe
A. Harris, anoted Salvation Army STAR
is at the barracks here. She is a noted
parsonage, and in her time has played
many parts, and played them we'll. She
was given to Adam ForepaughS ST.. when
not quite four years old, and was at
once put in training for the circus bust
ness. "
The story she tells of the suffering of
those days is most pathetic. Child as
she was she was unable to make friends
with the circus people, but she cuftiva-
ted the acquaintance of the dumb
beasts. While she scarcely recall a
kind word spoken to her by any one of
her numerous masters, she remembers
how the great elephant took her into
his confidence and affection. He would
put his trunk about her and in many
ways make her understand she had one
friend.
When trained she was brought before
the public as "Carrie Brown, the
champion juvenile bareback rider of the
world" and before she had seen ten
years had crossed the Atlantic twice
and had appeared in almost every city
of note III the United States. She has
since crossed the Atlantic fifty times.
Weary of the life she was leading
the child resolved to make an effort to
escape and after ar evenings perform
ance in Philadelphia made her way out
under the tent, and clad only in the
dress of the stage, escaped, and was
leaving Tenth street for Walnut when
she almost dashed INTO the arms of Ed
win Forrest. The great actor caught
her and held her fast. don't take me
back, don't take me back !"she x
claimed.
Mr.. Forrest took her to his hotel, gave
her food and and heard her story and
resolved to stand by her. He took
up her case and recovered 81. 100 from
the company for her past services. Nor
did the kindness of Mr.. Forrest stop
with that. BE took the girl into his
own Company and gave her a good start
in life.
She remained with Forests company
for five years and vas then engaged for
six months by John L. Davenport, af-
ter which she was a member of Edwin
Booths company for two years and
then she went With Mary Anderson to
Europe.
She is fond of telling of tho great
Mary, for whose conversion she con-
stantly prays. After leaving her last COM
pany she said good-by to the stage for
| ever.
She was next offered an engagement
by the manager of a "mixed" base ball
club, composed, as the term indicates, of
men and women.
After earning six hundred dollars
that way Miss Harris turned her atten-
ton to still another line, and went in
as a competitor in a rowing contest and
won the championship. The Patapsco
River, at Baltimore, was the scene of her
last triumph in this line.
Why not turn jockey rider some one
suggested and she caught at the idea,
and rode in manga race her partner be-
ing Jennie Campbell. She was then
but 10 and threw money away in
s'showers." This was the time when
she might have made a fortune, as she
with, Jennie Campbell, had the field to
herself.
She left the business poor and soon
had a long sickness of many months,
during which she first heard.the Bible
read. Soon after she recovered she
was lead by curiosity to 60 to a Saliva
ton Army meeting conducted by, Capt.
Mary Lloyd, and was converted. Up
to that night she had never attended a
religious service of any description.
Her life has been filled with strange
adventures and narrow escapes. Her
limbs have been frequently broken and
the sight of one eye destroyed. She "a
once shipwrecked, when the ship on
which the Kate Claxton Company had
embarked took fire. When saved by a
a passing ship, Miss Harris had been
clinging to a spar for n night and a
day.
Lieut.. Harris came to New England
to raise funds for the Rescue Home for
Fallen Girls, established in New York
by Commissioner Smith. She is devo-
ted to her work and to the army and
speaks with great force and vigor.
"After earning and throwing away
thousands of dollars Lieut.. Harris is
now working for five dollars q week
and boards herself out Of that" is the
way a Salvationist puts it. When ques-
toned in regard to her strangely event.
full life she is ready to respond, but al
ways closes by saying, Zone day with
the Lords better than all"
Sir George Stephen and Sir Donald
Smith have Joined in donating $1,000
900, or $500, 900 each, to found Royal
Victoria Hospital for the sick poor Of
Montreal. Sir Jeorge came from
Scotland to Montreal when young and
poor, and engaged as q clerk in the
dry-goods business; he opened out for
himself and accumulated = fortune in
the same line.